Jeremy Sossei had to work his way through a daunting loss-side field to earn himself a re-match against Jorge Rodriguez, sitting in the hot seat of the March 8-9 Open/Pro stop on the Predator Tour. Sossei won five on the loss side and then downed Rodriguez in the finals to claim the event title. The $500-added event, run concurrently with an Amateur event (see separate story) drew 23 entrants to Steinway Billiards in Astoria, Queens, NY.
Once Rodriguez had sent Sossei to the losers' bracket, he turned to face Earl Strickland in a winners' side semifinal. Mike Dechaine, in the meantime, met up with Zion Zvi in the other one. Rodriguez dispatched The Pearl 7-4, as Dechaine sent Zvi over by the same score. Rodriguez then sent Dechaine to the semifinals, same score, and waited on what turned out to be his re-match against Sossei.
On the loss side, Sossei first eliminated Raphael Dabreo 7-2 and then, Jonathan Smith 7-1 to meet up with Zvi. Strickland drew Frankie Hernandez, who'd gotten by Warren Kiamco 7-5 and Tony Robles 7-3. It was Strickland and Sossei who advanced to the quarterfinals; Sossei 7-2 over Zvi and Strickland 7-4 over Hernandez.
Sossei then eliminated both Strickland and Dechaine, in the semifinals, by the same 7-2 score to earn his re-match against Rodriguez. He took full advantage, downing Rodriguez 11-4 to claim the event title.
